Banzembo 78
1 Nzembo ya Azafi. Bino, bato na ngai, boyoka malako na ngai! Bopesa matoyi na maloba ya monoko na ngai!
An instruction. Of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Nakofungola monoko na ngai mpo na lisese, nakosakola makambo oyo ebombama wuta na tango ya kala.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter riddles from of old,
3 Makambo oyo toyoka, oyo toyebi, oyo batata na biso bayebisa biso.
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us:
4 Tokobombela yango bakitani na bango te, kasi tokoloba na bikeke oyo ekoya na sima nkembo ya masanzoli ya Yawe, nguya na Ye mpe bikamwa oyo asalaki.
We will not hide [them] from their sons, shewing forth to the generation to come the praises of Jehovah, and his strength, and his marvellous works which he hath done.
5 Apesaki malako mpo na bolamu ya Jakobi, atiaki mibeko kati na Isalaele, apesaki mitindo epai ya batata na biso ete bateya yango epai ya bana mibali na bango,
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
6 mpo ete bikeke oyo ekoya sima eyeba yango, ekeke ya bana oyo bakobotama. Tika ete batelema mpe bayebisa yango na bana na bango,
That the generation to come might know [them], the children that should be born; that they might rise up and tell [them] to their children,
7 mpo ete batonga elikya na bango kati na Nzambe, babosana te misala ya Nzambe mpe babatela mibeko na Ye.
And that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but observe his commandments;
8 Boye, bakozala te lokola bakoko na bango, oyo bazalaki mito makasi mpe batomboki, oyo mitema na bango ezalaki sembo te na miso ya Nzambe, mpe milimo na bango ezangaki boyengebene epai na Ye.
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that prepared not their heart, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9 Bato ya libota ya Efrayimi basimbaki batolotolo, kasi na mokolo ya etumba, bakimaki.
The sons of Ephraim, armed bowmen, turned back in the day of battle.
10 Babatelaki te Boyokani ya Nzambe mpe baboyaki kotosa mibeko na Ye;
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11 babosanaki bikamwa na Ye mpe makambo minene oyo atalisaki bango.
And forgot his doings, and his marvellous works which he had shewn them.
12 Na miso ya bakoko na bango, asalaki bikamwa kati na Ejipito, na etuka ya Tsoani;
In the sight of their fathers had he done wonders, in the land of Egypt, the field of Zoan.
13 akabolaki ebale monene mpo na kolekisa bango, atelemisaki mayi lokola mir.
He clave the sea, and caused them to pass through; and made the waters to stand as a heap;
14 Na moyi, azalaki kotambolisa bango na nzela ya lipata; mpe na butu, na nzela ya pole ya moto.
And he led them with a cloud in the daytime, and all the night with the light of fire.
15 Apasolaki mabanga kati na esobe mpe amelisaki bango mayi ebele, lokola mayi ya bibale;
He clave rocks in the wilderness, and gave [them] drink as out of the depths, abundantly;
16 abimisaki mayi wuta na libanga mpe asalaki ete etiola lokola mayi ya ebale.
And he brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 Kasi bakobaki kaka kosala masumu liboso na Ye, kotombokela Ye-Oyo-Aleki-Likolo, kati na esobe.
Yet they still went on sinning against him, provoking the Most High in the desert;
18 Bamekaki Nzambe na nko, na kosenga bilei kolanda posa na bango.
And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust;
19 Balobaki mabe na tina na Nzambe: « Boni, Ye Nzambe azali penza na makoki ya kopesa biso bilei kati na esobe?
And they spoke against God: they said, Is God able to prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Solo, abetaki libanga, mayi ebimaki, mpe ebimaki penza ebele. Boni, akokoka lisusu kopesa biso mapa to misuni epai ya bato na Ye? »
Behold, he smote the rock, and waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; is he able to give bread also, or provide flesh for his people?
21 Tango Yawe ayokaki bongo, asilikaki makasi; moto na Ye epelelaki Jakobi, mpe kanda makasi na Ye ekitelaki Isalaele,
Therefore Jehovah heard, and was wroth; and fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel:
22 pamba te batiaki elikya na Nzambe te, bandimaki te ete akoki kokangola bango.
Because they believed not in God, and confided not in his salvation;
23 Nzokande, apesaki mitindo na mapata mpe afungolaki bikuke ya likolo,
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of the heavens,
24 anokiselaki bango mana lokola mvula mpo na kopesa bilei, apesaki bango ble ya Likolo.
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the corn of the heavens.
25 Moko na moko aliaki mapa ya ba-anjelu. Atindelaki bango bilei ebele penza.
Man did eat the bread of the mighty; he sent them provision to the full.
26 Wuta na likolo, atindikaki mosika mopepe ya Este; mpe na nguya na Ye, amemaki mopepe ya Sude.
He caused the east wind to rise in the heavens, and by his strength he brought the south wind;
27 Anokiselaki bango misuni lokola putulu, bandeke ebele lokola zelo ya ebale monene;
And he rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the seas,
28 akweyiselaki bango yango kati na molako na bango, zingazinga ya bandako na bango ya kapo.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations:
29 Baliaki mpe batondaki makasi; Nzambe apesaki bango biloko oyo bazalaki na yango posa.
And they did eat, and were well filled; for that they lusted after, he brought to them.
30 Liboso ete posa na bango ekoka, wana bazalaki nanu na minoko etonda na bilei,
They were not alienated from their lust, their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 kanda ya Nzambe ekweyelaki bango, abomaki bato minene kati na bango, anyokolaki bilenge ya Isalaele.
When the anger of God went up against them; and he slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 Kasi atako bongo, bakobaki kaka kosala masumu, bandimaki kaka te bikamwa na Ye.
For all this, they sinned still, and believed not in his marvellous works;
33 Boye, asukisaki mikolo ya bomoi na bango lokola mopepe, mpe mibu na bango ya mbotama kati na somo.
And he consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror.
34 Tango nyonso Nzambe azalaki koboma bango, bazalaki koluka Ye; bazalaki komizongisa noki epai na Ye.
When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and sought early after God;
35 Bazalaki kozongisa na makanisi na bango ete Nzambe nde azali Libanga na bango, ete Nzambe-Oyo-Aleki-Likolo azali Mosikoli na bango.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and God, the Most High, their redeemer.
36 Kasi bazalaki koloba lokuta, minoko na bango ezalaki kokosa Ye;
But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue;
37 mitema na bango ezalaki sembo te na miso na Ye, mpe bazalaki kobuka Boyokani na Ye.
For their heart was not firm toward him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
38 Nzokande Ye, na mawa na Ye, azalaki kolimbisa mabe na bango na esika ya kobebisa bango; mbala mingi, azalaki kokanga motema na esika ya kopelisela bango kanda na Ye;
But he was merciful: he forgave the iniquity, and destroyed [them] not; but many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his fury:
39 pamba te azalaki koyeba ete bazali kaka bato, bazali kaka lokola mopepe oyo ezali koleka mpe ekozonga lisusu te.
And he remembered that they were flesh, a breath that passeth away and cometh not again.
40 Mbala mingi, batombokelaki Ye kati na esobe mpe bayokisaki Ye mawa kati na bisika ya kokawuka;
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
41 bazalaki kozongela komeka Nzambe, koyokisa Mosantu ya Isalaele mawa.
And they turned again and tempted God, and grieved the Holy One of Israel.
42 Babosanaki makambo minene oyo asalaki na nguya na Ye, mokolo oyo akangolaki bango wuta na maboko ya monyokoli;
They remembered not his hand, the day when he delivered them from the oppressor,
43 babosanaki bikamwa oyo asalaki kati na Ejipito, misala minene oyo asalaki kati na etuka ya Tsoani.
How he set his signs in Egypt, and his miracles in the field of Zoan;
44 Abongolaki bibale na bango makila; boye, bakokaki lisusu te komela na mayi na bango.
And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink;
45 Atindelaki bango banzinzi oyo eswaka, mpe eliaki bango; mpe magorodo oyo ebebisaki bango.
He sent dog-flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them;
46 Akabaki bambuma ya bilanga na bango epai ya mabanki, mpe mbuma ya mosala na bango epai ya mankoko.
And he gave their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust;
47 Abebisaki bilanga na bango ya vino na nzela ya mvula ya mabanga, mpe banzete na bango ya sikomori na nzela ya mvula ya pembe;
He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with hail-stones;
48 akabaki bameme na bango epai ya mvula ya mabanga, mpe bibwele na bango epai ya kake.
And he delivered up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 Atindelaki bango kanda na Ye ya makasi lokola moto: kanda makasi, kotomboka, pasi mpe ba-anjelu oyo babebisaka.
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and distress, — a mission of angels of woes.
50 Apesaki na kanda na Ye nzela ya kopela, abatelaki bango te na kufa; kasi akabaki bango na bokono oyo ebomaka.
He made a way for his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
51 Abomaki bana mibali nyonso ya liboso kati na Ejipito, bambuma ya liboso ya makasi na bango na se ya bandako ya kapo ya Cham.
And he smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first-fruits of their vigour in the tents of Ham.
52 Abimisaki bato na Ye lokola etonga, amemaki bango kati na esobe lokola meme;
And he made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 atambolisaki bango na kimia penza, babangaki eloko te; mpe ebale monene emelaki banguna na bango.
And he led them safely, so that they were without fear; and the sea covered their enemies.
54 Amemaki bango na mokili na Ye ya bule, na ngomba oyo loboko na Ye ya nguya ezwaki;
And he brought them to his holy border, this mountain, which his right hand purchased;
55 abenganaki bikolo liboso na bango, apesaki bango etando lokola libula mpe avandisaki mabota ya Isalaele kati na bandako na bango ya kapo.
And he drove out the nations before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Kasi bamekaki Nzambe, batombokelaki Ye-Oyo-Aleki-Likolo mpe babatelaki te malako na Ye;
But they tempted and provoked God, the Most High, and kept not his testimonies,
57 bapengwaki mpe babukaki mibeko ya boyokani, ndenge batata na bango basalaki; batengamaki lokola tolotolo oyo mbanzi na yango ekeyi na mopanzi;
And they drew back and dealt treacherously like their fathers: they turned like a deceitful bow.
58 bayokisaki Ye kanda na nzela ya bisambelo na bango ya likolo ya bangomba, mpe bapelisaki zuwa na Ye na nzela ya banzambe na bango ya bikeko.
And they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 Nzambe ayokaki mpe asilikaki makasi, abwakaki Isalaele mobimba;
God heard, and was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
60 asundolaki Mongombo ya Silo, ndako ya kapo oyo atelemisaki kati na bato,
And he forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent where he had dwelt among men,
61 akabaki nguya na Ye na bowumbu, mpe lokumu na Ye na maboko ya monguna;
And gave his strength into captivity, and his glory into the hand of the oppressor;
62 akabaki bato na Ye na mopanga, mpe asilikelaki libula na Ye.
And delivered up his people unto the sword, and was very wroth with his inheritance:
63 Moto etumbaki bilenge mibali, mpe banzembo ya libala eyembamaki lisusu te mpo na lokumu ya bilenge basi.
The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not praised in [nuptial] song;
64 Banganga-Nzambe bakufaki na mopanga, mpe basi oyo bakufisaki mibali balelaki te na banzembo ya matanga.
Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Nkolo alamukaki lokola moto oyo awuti na pongi, lokola moto oyo abimi na kwiti ya vino;
Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, like a mighty man that shouteth aloud by reason of wine;
66 azokisaki banguna na Ye na sima, wana bazalaki kokima, ayokisaki bango soni ya libela.
And he smote his adversaries in the hinder part, and put them to everlasting reproach.
67 Asundolaki bandako ya kapo ya Jozefi mpe aboyaki kopona libota ya Efrayimi;
And he rejected the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim,
68 kasi aponaki libota ya Yuda, ngomba Siona oyo alingaki;
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved;
69 atongaki Esika na Ye ya bule lokola bisika ya likolo makasi, lokola mabele oyo atia mpo na libela.
And he built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which he hath founded for ever.
70 Aponaki Davidi, mosali na Ye, mpe azwaki ye kati na lopango ya meme;
And he chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
71 abengaki ye wuta na sima ya meme oyo azalaki kobatela mpo na kokomisa Ye mobateli ya Jakobi, bato na Ye, mpe ya Isalaele, libula na Ye.
From following the suckling-ewes, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Davidi abatelaki bango na motema ezanga pamela, mpe akambaki bango na maboko ya mayele.
And he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands.
